Production lift device



March 26, 1946.

G. A. HUMAsoN 2,397,419 PRODUCTION LIFT DEVICE Filed March 20, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet l l. 7 ZO A 7 e ww 3l 3Z- 'l y! i @www March 26, 1.946. I A HUMASON 2,397,419

PRODUCTION LIFT DEVICE Filed March 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Shee'I 2 INV ENT OR.

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G. A. HUMASON PRODUCTION LIFTYDEVICE lMarch 26, 1946.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5l gd March 20, 1943 INVENTOR. fwn@ March 26, 1946. G. HUMASON PRODUCTION LIFT DEVICE 4' sheets-smetl 4 Filed March 2o 1943 me/VWO@ v Patented Mar. 26, 1946 PRODUCTION LIFT DEVI/CE Granville A. Humason, Houston, Tex., assignor of ten per cent to L. C. Christian, Houston, Tex., andeleven per cent to H. H. McGilvray,

and eleven per cent to T. J. Faver, both of Harris County, Tex.

Application March 20, 1943, Serial No. 479,823

12 Claims.

The invention relates to a combination production lift and well cleaning tool ofthe type to be removably positioned within a well bore.

It is, of course, well understood that in some instances when a well is completed that there may be suiiicient gas pressure in the formation to cause the oil to flow to the surface, whereas in other instances or formations, the gas may accumulate and only partially discharge oil from the Well. In still another instance, the flow of the well must be initiated by effecting a reduction of pressure in the well-to start the flow. In another instance, the oil may enter the well but must be lifted to the surface by the introduction of a pressure fluid in the well, and in still further instances, the well may have to be pumped continuously to draw the oil from the formation.

It has been the practice in the past to provide different types of tools and equipment for each of these different methods of production, but the present invention contemplates the provision of a single tool capable of adaptation for use in any one 'or all of the foregoing instances of production.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination production and cleaning out tool for wells.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning-out tool which can be run into the well for the purpose of removing paraffin and which can then be utilized to-eiect production of the well without removal of the tool.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combination pump, swab, and packer fori wells which can be used for gas lift swabbing or pumping as the circumstances may require.

Another object of the invention iste provide a recycling head for wells so that the gas from the 1tti/ell may be recycled thereto to assist in produc- Still another object of the invention is to provide a combination swab, pump, and paraffin cleaner for wells.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a clean-out tool for `wells which will scrape the paraffin therefrom and provide for circulation of a iiushing fluid to carry the paraffin particles to the surface. I

Still another object is to provide a swab and a. gas lift tool to be used for production in a well.

Still another object is to provide a control tool for well tubing so as to admit pressure fluid particularly to effect a gas lift in combination With a reciprocating pump action.

Another object is to provide a combination swab and gas lift tool where gas may be admitted,

periodically, continuously. or completely shut off during the using of the tool in producing a well.

It is also another object to provide a combination string of pipe and sucker rod assembly so that a combination gas lift and pump action may be utilized by the provision of a single tool.

Another and further object of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figures 1, `2, and 3, form a'n assembly of one form of the equipment as applied to a well and illustrate the construction thereof in section.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of a modified Figure 11 is a vertical broken sectional View Y -V showing still another modification of the tool for admitting gas or pressure fluid from the casing.

Figure 1 shows the well head or casing head 2, as being supported upon casing 3 which extends into and is engaged by the earth formation. This casing has the usual side outlets, one of which is closed Aby a bull plug 5, and the other of which has a flow line 6 connected thereto.

s A liner or production pipe Tis shown as anchored with a sealy or packer 8 in the lower end of the casing 3. It is to be understood, however, that if desired, this production string 'I may extend up to the surface and be suitably supported or otherwise anchored in the casing head 2.

Disposed inside of the production string or liner l is a string of ,pipe I0, which will be vknown as erating pipe,

Figure 1 shows this operating pipe as extending down into the well and having an outlet I3 thereony which ycarries a spring-pressed back pressure valve I4 which normally closes the string of pipe.

against any up-flow therethrough but which opens downwardly when a pressure in the pipe overcornes the spring of the valve.

A flow nipple l5 is shown as being connected in l the lower end of the coupling -I3, and this nipple l has a plurality of ports I6 therein, so that a ow of pressure iiuid ydown through the pipe I can be discharged in an upward direction from this nipple. this pressure fluid into the liner 1 will assist in It seems obvious that the discharge of the elevation of any liquid therein, either up- 3" wardly through the liner 1 or the casing 3 as the i case may be.

With the construction thus described, if the well will flow, then the iiow can be through the liner 1 and the flow pipe or fitting 6. If the formation pressure is insufficient to effect this natural iiow, then gas or other fluid under pressure y i may be discharged from the nipple l5 so as to aerate the column of the liquid in the liner or casing. Y

In any instance, however, there is insufcient lowerend of the nipple I5. This swab assembly may include a travelingl valve 22 which is connected to the upper end of a mandrel 23 which in turn carries a swab rubber 24 of usual construction'. As seen inv Figure 2, this vswab rubber will form a seal with the inside surface 25 of the liner "1. It seems obvious that when the piping l0 is moved upwardly that the traveling valve 22 will close, the rubber 24 will forma seal with the liner 1 and an upward movement will elevate any liquid above the swab and cause a reduction in pressure in the liner or tubing 1 below the swab. In this manner, a flow into the well from the formation will be encouraged. On the downstroke of this reciprocation, there will be a flow upwardly through the passage 26 in the hollow mandrel 23 which will cause the traveling valve 22 to open and permit the flow of material therethrough.

With this construction flow may be` initiated with the swab and thereafter assisted with the gas lift heretofore described so thata combination swab and gas lift has been arranged.

If it is found that the swabbing action does not initiate asufcient ow from the formation, then,

` of course, the swab can be reciprocated periodically AOrcontinuously to eiect a pumping action to pump the well.

In order to facilitate the operation of the construction heretofore described, a standing valve,

` and packer assembly is shown inside the tubing i or liner 1 in the lower end of Figure /Zad in Figure 3. y This assembly is shown generally at 30, and includes a coupling 3l, having a J latch connection 32 for engagement with the lug 33 on the lower end of the swab 20. In this manner, the-standing valve assembly 30 can be lowered into the well bore by means of the operating pipe l0 and swab 20. It can be suitably anchored in the tubing or liner 1 by setting the slips 34 so that they will engage the inside of thetubing or liner and rmly anchor the assembly into position. A telescoping l packer 35 is shown in the lower end of Figure 3 as having been expanded by the application of weight to the standing valve assembly so that the upper collar 36 thereof has been moved downwardly along the inside sleeve 31. This compres- 1 sive or sliding action is accomplished due, to the fact that the bottom nipple 38 of the standing valve assembly is shown in the lower end 0f Figure 3 as having engaged the lower end 39 of the tubing or liner 1.

Below the packer 35, an inlet coupling 4U has the inlet passages 4l therein to admit material from the earth formation outside of the liner 1 after such material has passed through the perforations or other openings 42 in the tubing or liner 1. The standing valve 44 is carried by the upper end of this coupling 40 and will open upwardly due to a lpredominant pressure from below which vmay be due either to the natural pressure from the formation or from a reduction of pressure from above the standing valve due .to the operating of the-swab or gas lift.

l `It seems obvious that this entire assembly can be run into the well bore at one time, the standing valve assembly set in position so as to compel the flow of fluid to pass therethrough and upwardly through the swab connection due to natural pressure or to the operation of the gas lift, or that the swab connection may be 'releasedl to swab thev well and initiate production or to pump the well, if need be. If the assembly is to be removed, the swab can be reconnected by the J latch 32, the slips 34 released and the standing valve assembly brought out of the well along with other equipment.

Figure 4 shows a modified form o* the well head 2 which is adapted for use in the operations de-l scribed as to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, but in addition thereto, provides for using the casing as a reservoir for pressure fluid to be applied in iiowing the well. 4This construction includes the casing head '50 which has a set of slips 5| therein to support the 'tubing or liner 1 previously described which has an enlarged section 52 thereon which is received in these slips 5I. A packing 53 is carried by the casing head to forma seal about thesection 52. An outlet connection 54 forms apart ofthe conduit 55 controlled by a valve 56 so that a iiow from the casing may be had. This valve may be operated intermittently in any desired manner to flow the Well periodically. An inlet opening or pipe 51 leads from the pump 58; by which gas or other fluid is placed under pressure in the reservoir 59 inside the casingn 3. The valve 56 vmay be used for the application of pressure fluid from an outside source or to clean the well.

Mounted on the section. 52 is a control head 60 which has the production string IIJ passing therev through.

63 into the chamber 64 inside of the head, A per- .forated nipple 65 is provided inthe operating pipe il) whereby pressure fluid may enter the pipe as indicated by the arrows,

In order to provide a seal about the productionk string Ill while it is being reciprocated, a packer assembly 61 is arranged for sliding movement in the sleeve .68 extending downwardly from the head into the section 52.

The flow upwardly through the tubing or liner Twill follow the path ofthe arrows 69 and discharge from the outlet 1liy into a separator 1l. This separator may be of any desired type and has been replaced by a packer assembly 90 which may have the connection 12 to take of! the oil at different gravities while the pipe 18 leads the gas from the separator into the pump 88.

Figures 5 and 6 show a slightly modified form of the construction describedv in Figures 1 to 3- inclusive, and show the entire assembly madeup in such a size that it may be placed in the well` bore through the usual string of tubing such as 15 which may be, for. instance, a 21/2 inch pipe. This may be disposed inside of the larger pipe 16 which may be the liner 1 of Fig. 1 or it may be the casing 3 of Fig. 4. Y

This tubing 1 is shown as having'a section 11 therein of reduced size which'may be, say, two inches in diameter so as to receive the swab 18 therein. The gas lift coupling |5 may be provided at the lower end of the operating pipe I as previously described, and the swab construction may be the same as heretofore shown except that the inlet 19 may be arranged in the lower end of the swab which also has a threaded con-l nection 80 which connects the string of sucker rods 8|. In this manner, the swab may be positioned at any desired elevation along the tubing and at considerable distance from the bottom of the well, if desired. I n order to close the bottom of the reservoir, a packer 83 is shown as being carried by the tubing and sealing with the casing or production string 16.

This assembly of Figures and 6 has a traveling valvel 84 thereon, and a pump plunger '85 which can be reciprocated by the sucker rods 8|. A standing valvef86 closes'the lower endof the tubing and opens in response to the flow of material from the formation through the openings 4| and 42 as described in'connection with Fig. 1.

The bull plug 38 serves as a sand-.trap in the lower end of the tube. With this construction, a double lift action may be obtained due to the fact that pump 85 will draw in a charge of material from the formation and force it into the area 81, in the tubing 11 below the swab, whereupon the swab can pick up the fluid and boost it upwardly in the tubing and the gas lift can then be applied to it as it passes the nipple i5.

In this manner, a combination pumpyswab and lift action is applied. n

It is to be understood that `one application of the tool of Figures 5 and 6 is -to place the tool in wells which have theretofore been in production and possibly haver ceased flowing or need to be put up upon a'pump to further produce oil. A great many wells of'this sort have considerable accumulation of paraflln on the inside of the tubing which interferes with the flow and A to assist in the removal of this parain while inserting the production tool into this well andv to accomplish a paraflin cleaning operation in the lower end of the pump plunger 85 in Fig. 6 is shown as having a scraper/or paraffin cutting construction 88 on the lower end thereof. This tends to scrape loose any parafin from `the inside of the tubing and the tubing may be reciprocated to pump the paraffin upwardly thereto, or the gas lift may be exercised to emulsify the paraffin and carry it to the surface.

From the foregoing, it seems obvious that a combination cleaning and vproduction tool is provided which can be run into the well bore to clean the well and to then produce withoutA removal of the tool. Fig. 7 shows the construction of the flow nipple I5.

Fig. 8 shows a modification of the construction of Fig. 5 wherein the swab construction 18 has a travelingvalve 9| thereon.

Figures 9 and 10 show another form of the tool whereby pressure fluid can be admitted from the reservoir 56 in the casing. To accomplish this,v the packer 88 of Fig. 5 is on the tubing 11 and the tubing has been provided with inlet ports 92 so that there may be a flow of pressure fluid to the tubing. To control this flow of fluid, the reciprocating or slide valve assembly 95 hasbeen provided in lieu of the swab of Fig. 5 or thev packer 90 of Fig. 8. Or this slide valve construction may be also incorporated in the assembly with the omission of the swab orv packer. In either event, this slide valve assembly includes the upper head 91 and the lower head 98 which are in the form of sealing members to form a seal on the inside of Ithe tubing 11. Each of these heads is provided with oppositely faced packing cups 99 and |88 respectively, so as to close in ports 92 against any inflow when the ports vare in position of Fig. 9. Thus, if it is desired to introduce the flow. of pressure fluid above the assembly 95, the assembly can be moved down by manipulation of the rods 8| so that the head 91 moves below the ports 82. There will then be a flow of fluid upwardly through the tubing. This construction may be used if a column of liquid has accumulated in the tubing and a higher pressure is desired to kick off this column of liquid or to unload the well when production is' to be initiated or at periodic intervals.

The'heads 91 and 98 are spaced apart so as to span thev inlet port 92 and if desired this space may be suillcient to permit of a pumping action without uncovering the port at all. i

On the other hand, if a flow of pressure fluid is ldesired below the control valve 95, then this assembly will be raised to move the head 98 above .the opening 92 to allow an inflow below the asis omitted. Thus a flowing or pumping or com-VV` bination flowing and pumping action may be had. f

Figure 1v1 shows the 'valve assembly 95 as having been raised above the ports 92 to permit thepinflow of pressure fluid. This arrangement of the slide or control valve permits the admission of pressure fluid or gas to assist ink flowing the well either on each stroke of the pump, or at periodic intervals, at any desired timing, or the ports 92 may be left open to admit a constant flow of pressure fluid, or they may be close with the parts in position of Figure 9.

This construction facilitates the unloading and flowing of a well as desired or may be used independently or in combination with the other structures heretofore described.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination pump, swab and packer deof pipe extending into said liner, a check valve4 top anchor said assembly and corinne said packer, anda releasable connection between said swab and said assembly whereby the well may be flowed, pumped, swabbed or gas lift applied.

2. A combination swab and pump and gas lift device comprising a well liner or tubing, a standing valve assembly, means to anchor said asl sembly in the well, a swab, a releasable coni y, nection between said swab and assembly, a string of pipe extending to the surface to actuate said swab or to effect the connection of the wab to said assembly, and discharge ports to release gas into the liner or tubing from said pipe at a point above said swab.

3. A combination swab and pump and gas lift device comprising a well liner or tubing, a standing valve assembly, means to anchor said assembly in the well, a swab, a releasable connection between said swab and assembly, a string of pipe extending to the surface to actuate said swab or to eifect the connection of the swab to said assembly, discharge ports to release gas into the liner or tubing from said pipe at a point above said swab, a well head supporting said liner or tubing in the well bore, said head including a gas outlet, a separator connected t said outlet, a pump connected to the separator, and means in said head to reintroduce the gas from the pump into said pipe to provide gas under pressure.

4. A production device for'wells having a tubing or liner therein, a pump plunger therefor including an operating pipe to reciprocate the pump plunger, means to discharge gas from said pipe into the tubing above the pump plunger,`an inlet `port through the tubing or liner from the casing at apoint vbelow the` pump plungl er, and a valve-device carried by the pump plunger to open, or close; said inlet to control the inlet of pressure fluid to assist in the elevation of the well liquid.

5. A production device for wells having a tubing or liner therein, a pump plunger therefor including an operating pipe toreciprocate the plunger pump, means todischarge gas from said pipe into the tubing above the pump plunger,l an inlet port through the tubing or liner fromy the casing at a point below the pump plunger, anda valve device carried by the pump plunger to open,

or close, said inlet to control the inlet of pressure fluid to assist in the elevation of the well liquid,

said pump plunger and valve device being spaced apart in the well so that gas from said means tends to aerate the column of liquid above the pump plunger.

6. A production device forwells having a tubing or liner therein, a pump plunger therefor including anv operating pipe to reciprocate the pump plunger, means to discharge gas from said pipe into the tubing above the pump plunger,

an inlet port through the tubing or liner from the casing at a point below the pump plunger, a valve device carried by the pump plunger to open,

or close, said inlet to control the inlet of pres-Y atomic sure fluid to assist in the elevation o! the well liquid, and a string of sucker rods connecting said valve device and pump assembly.

7. A combination clean-out and production tool for well tubing including a swab pump.

having a plunger, a string of operating pipe to move said pump plunger, means tol discharge gas into the tubing above the pump plunger, a pressure iiuid reservoir formed about the tubing in the well casing, an inlet to the tubing from said reservoir and below the pump plunger, and valve means to open or close said inlet so as to either flow, swab, or aerate the well.

8. In a well flowing assembly for wells, a tubing, an inlet port for pressure fluid from the well outside of the tubing, a slide valve assembly in the tubing including spaced heads to span said port, and means extending to the surface through the tubing to move said assembly to open or close said port so as to admit presure fluid to ow the well either continuously or intermittently.

9. In a well owing assembly for wells, a tubing, an inlet port for'pressure uid from the well outside of the tubing, a pump plunger slide valve assembly in the tubing including spaced heads to span the port, and means extending to the surface through the tubing to move said assembly to open or close said port so as to admit pressure iluid to ow the well either continuously, intermittently, or to operate said plunger as a pump.

10. A recycling well head assembly including a well casing, a casing head connected thereto, a tubing and a pipe string in the well, a separator, a conduit to conduct gas from said tubing to said separator, means to pump gas from the separator into the area in the well casing around the tubing, additional means to bleed gas from such area into said string of pipe, and means for admitting the gas from'said pipe to said tubing at a predetermined level whereby the gas bled by said additional means is recycled and flows the well.

ll. A recycling well head assembly including a 'well casing, a casing head connected thereto, a

string vof pipe, means for admitting the gas from said pipe to said tubing at a predetermined level in the well, pump means on said string of pipe, inlet and outlet means therefor, and still additional means for reciprocating said string of pipe to actuate said pump means.

12.v In a owing assembly for wells, a tubing, a plunger adapted to be reciprocated within the tubing, a standing valve within the tubing below said plunger, and an inlet coupling below said valve, said coupling having at least one. inlet thereto extending inwardly and downwardly from its periphery whereby gaseous uids from the well rise about the tubing and the liquid uids are admitted through the inlet to the interior of the tubing, and a passage in said coupling leading directly from the inner lower end of said inlet to said valve.

GRANVILLE A. HUMASON. 

